Moths pollinate clover flowers at night, after bees have gone home

The finding challenges a century of research identifying bees as the only key clover pollinators

yellow underwing moth on a red clover flower at night

Many moths are nocturnal pollinators of plants. But the insects, like this Mythimna farrago, weren’t known to be regular visitors of red clover flowers until now.

Jeff Kerby

Bees aren’t the only insects pollinating red clover. Moths do about a third of the flower visits after dark, new research suggests.